Radio review

Frankie's House (Radio 4) was full of marvellous understatement. June Whitfield presented this evocative tour around Frankie Howerd's Somerset home and, though she knew the place well, still sounded agog at it. "It's fair to say, he was a bit of a hoarder," Whitfield noted. Chris Byrne, who now looks after the house and opens it to visitors to raise money for charity, gave some idea of what this meant as he peeked into a random box. "His hairpiece, his false teeth, his X-rays - it's all Frankie's," he said. The house also includes a gift from the local government of Pompeii, thanking Howerd for increasing tourist numbers in the region. It was an endearing portrait of the house and its considerable affect on lives lived in it. I especially liked the sound of the comedian on his country walks, feeding the animals. "He always had to carry carrots and apples," recalled Byrne.

Howerd, you imagine, would have enjoyed a moment of glorious, unfortunate juxtaposition on the Today programme (Radio 4) yesterday. A report on hazardous drinking in middle-class enclaves was swiftly followed by a business story featuring an interview with the editor of a new book: The Good Pub Guide 2008.